Michele Page: How can anyone leave a child in a hot car?

Thursday

Jul 31, 2008 at 12:01 AMJul 31, 2008 at 3:26 AM

A news outlet reported that 22 children across America have died because their parent or parents left them in an automobile in the heat.

Silence is golden, they say, and I tend to agree. Sunday the power was out for three hours, and the tapping of the rain on various surfaces sent my mind adrift. With no television, radio or computer to occupy my time, it was quite pleasant to sit and really relax.

While in a state of no electricity, national news drifted into my thoughts. A news outlet reported that 22 children across America have died because their parent or parents left them in an automobile in the heat.

When I listened to that report on CNN or Headline News (I can’t remember which), I thought it had to be a mistake. I mean, after all the press and the number of lives lost, how can people still leave defenseless children locked in a hot car? It’s the most irresponsible thing to do as a parent.

Television plays a big part of our lives and unless you’ve been living in a closet, people know that a hot car isn’t good for anything. Plastic cups have melted in my car, and I don’t even want to imagine a small child being slowly baked to death because someone thought it was OK to leave them behind.

While television programs are sometimes pathetic, they can be informative, too. Remember the commercial about drugs?

“This is an egg.”

“These are drugs (they hold up a hot frying pan).”

“This is your brain on drugs.”

They cracked the egg, effectively frying “your brain.”

I challenge parents who think that leaving a child in a hot car for 10 minutes while they rush to the market isn’t harmful to leave an uncooked potato in that oven of a car and see how it changes. Mark my words: With the heat index reaching triple digits, it wouldn’t take long to bake that potato.

The anchorwoman said that the majority of incidents that have occurred stem from a noncustodial parent forgetting that the child was with them.

I screamed inside when she revealed this fact.

How in the world can you forget that a child is with you? Mine talk ceaselessly, and I’m very well aware that the kids are with me. Even if my children are asleep in the car, I’m still aware of their movements and hear their dreamy mumblings.

I’d be nothing without my children, and I just hope parents treasure their children more than the spud.

Helena Daily World

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